Doctors should ‘routinely ask’ young patients about social media use

Getty/Thai Liang Lim

By Stanley Murphy-Johns, Press Association

Medical leaders have warned the dangers of social media to the health of children is comparable to smoking and not wearing seatbelts.

Doctors should be asking young patients routinely about screen time and social media use, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AOMRC) said.

A report by the academy warned of “a wave of radicalised children” from exposure to “hateful, manipulative, addictive and grossly distressing” social media content, as part of a government consultation.

A study carried out by the Royal College of General Practitioners found that of 132 GPs, more than half saw at least one case of health harm that could be related to tech or devices every week.

The AOMRC have submitted the report to the government’s Growing Up In The Online World consultation, which has floated measures such an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s.

There have been widespread calls for the UK to follow Australia’s lead, although there have been questions about how effective that prohibition has been.